Tapeboard vs Chartlog — Trading Journal With Real-Time Data Built In
Chartlog is a lean, modern trade journal with one of the cleanest UIs in the category and no market data layer. Tapeboard couples the journal with a full real-time terminal, scanner, and paper-trading simulator at the same monthly price tier.
Use Tapeboard if you want journal plus live market data plus a paper-trading sim that auto-logs fills, in a single $39/mo terminal tab (Chartlog Lite alone starts at $14.99/mo for the journal only).
| capability | tapeboard | chartlog |
|---|---|---|
| Trade journal UX | Clean journal panel inside a multi-module terminal | Single-purpose lean UI — category-leading for pure-journal use |
| Broker auto-import coverage | CSV import; Schwab direct on roadmap | US + European broker coverage — wider European set than Tapeboard |
| Auto-log from paper trading | Every paper-sim fill writes a journal entry natively | Not applicable — Chartlog has no sim |
| Live market data + scanner | Streaming quotes, 44 scanner presets, Level 2 | Not a focus |
| Paper-trading simulator with L2 fills | Walks live Level 2 book, SSR + LULD + borrow modeled | Not included |
| Equities journal analytics | Win rate, profit factor, expectancy, R-multiple, equity curve | Comparable for equities |
| Futures-specific journal analytics | Equities-focused; futures tagging supported but no specialized analytics | Deeper analytics for pure futures traders — point values, tick sizes, contract rolls |
| Methodology disclosure pages | /methodology/r-multiple, /methodology/journal-autolog published | Not published |
| Free tier | $0 indefinite, no card | Free tier limited to recent trades; paid tier required for full history |
Competitor pricing and plan names checked against vendor pricing pages on 2026-10-07. Rows marked third-party sourced come from vendors whose pages block automated checks. Vendors change tiers independently, so verify on their site before deciding.
- You want live market data and a scanner on the same screen as the journal — Chartlog is journal-only.
- You paper-trade and want auto-log into the journal without a manual CSV step.
- You want a permanent free tier that covers indefinite manual entry — Chartlog's free tier limits history.
- You want disclosed methodology — full trade journal feature breakdown at https://tapeboard.com/trade-journal.
- You only need a journal and want the cleanest UI in the category — Chartlog's pure-journal UX is harder to beat than Tapeboard's multi-module terminal for that single workflow.
- You trade through a European broker — Chartlog's European coverage is wider than Tapeboard's today.
- You're a pure futures trader — Chartlog's contract-aware analytics beat Tapeboard's equities-first model on futures-specific metrics.
- You don't want a terminal, scanner, or sim — Chartlog gives you only the journal, and that minimalism is a feature.
Does Chartlog have a paper trading simulator?
No. Chartlog is journal-only. Tapeboard's simulator walks a real Level 2 book, enforces SSR and LULD, and applies real market borrow rates on shorts. Every fill auto-logs into the journal — full breakdown at https://tapeboard.com/paper-trading-simulator.
Is Chartlog better for futures traders than Tapeboard?
For pure futures journaling, yes. Chartlog's analytics handle contract rolls, point values, and tick sizes more cleanly than Tapeboard's equities-first model. Tapeboard supports futures tagging but the analytics are not contract-specialized.
What does Tapeboard add that a pure journal like Chartlog doesn't?
Live market data, a real-time scanner with 51 presets, Level 2 order book, candlestick charts with 134 indicators, a paper-trading simulator that walks a real Level 2 book, and SEC EDGAR filings with AI summaries — all in the same tab as the journal. Full feature breakdown at https://tapeboard.com/trade-journal.
Is Tapeboard's free tier permanent like Chartlog's?
Tapeboard's free tier is permanent and covers manual journal entry indefinitely with no credit card required. Chartlog's free tier limits trade history beyond a certain window — paid tier is required for full archive.
Where is the R-multiple math documented?
Full derivation including the long/short formula and stop-priority logic is at https://tapeboard.com/methodology/r-multiple. The journal capture path is documented at https://tapeboard.com/methodology/journal-autolog.
See how Tapeboard stacks up against other terminals:
Or compare Tapeboard against full platforms and terminals:
The /alternatives hub indexes every Tapeboard comparison in one place. For what the free tier and Pro include against the whole paid stack, see what Tapeboard includes and what it costs elsewhere.
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